Break in attempted murder case brings authorities to Charlevoix

March 17, 2008|By Erica Goff Charlevoix Courier Editor

Thanks to diligence in the crime lab and Michigan's use of DNA testing for all misdemeanor and felony crimes, Bay County Sheriff's Office got a break in a nearly five-year-old attempted murder case - a break that brought them to Charlevoix to make an arrest.

Bay County Sheriff deputies arrested Mark Moore, 31, who had been residing for an unknown period of time in Charlevoix County, March 7, following a nearly five-year investigation. Moore was connected to a November 2003 attempted murder, burglary, assault and arson case in Bay County through DNA testing, Bay County Sheriff's Office Lt. Jim Chlebowski said.

"In Michigan, everyone charged with a felony or misdemeanor must submit to DNA testing prior to their sentencing," Chlebowski explained.

Moore was arrested for an unrelated crime and was serving out a probation sentence for that crime in the Charlevoix area. Chlebowski said the Michigan State Police Crime Lab utilizes a database of DNA from all arraigned criminals in the state and the information is checked randomly for matches at all times. While deputies found no useful leads in the case while investigating in 2003 - "We had a number of dead ends," Chlebowski said - the database contained DNA left at the scene. The random check for matches proved useful, and the Michigan State Police notified Bay County of the break in the case, four and a half years after the incident.

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"The credit here really goes to those working diligently in the crime lab," Chlebowski said, also noting the assistance of the Michigan Department of Corrections Probation and Parole Department who helped track the suspect down.

Moore's alleged crime occurred when he visited a massage parlor, Green Spa, in Kawkawlin, located in Bay County, in November 2003. Chlebowski said Moore allegedly physically and sexually assaulted the two Asian females working in the parlor at the time before robbing the establishment, binding the women and setting the building on fire. Luckily for the women, they were able to escape the binds and run to a nearby gas station to call for help. The suspect, however, was able to flee the scene.

"This very easily could have been a double homicide. As far as this guy knew, he had gotten away with this," Chlebowski said.

Thanks to cooperation with the MDOC Probation and Parole Department, Michigan State Police and local law officials, Bay County deputies were able to apprehend Moore, who is currently being held in Bay County. He has been arraigned and charged with two counts of attempted murder, criminal sexual conduct first degree, armed robbery, arson of a dwelling house and arson of real property. Each of the charges are punishable by life in prison or "any number of years" in prison, depending on what happens in court, Chlebowski said.

Moore has been assigned an attorney and is awaiting a preliminary exam, set for March 19.

Chlebowski credited deputies Chris Mausolf and John Ruterbusch of the Bay County Sheriff Department for their work on the case. It was their diligence, as well as that of the crime lab staff, that brought Moore into custody. The work is not done, however.

"There is still some investigation to do on things we want to bring into the case. We're not done yet," he said.

Chlebowksi also emphasized the reality that small, rural towns are not exempt from such dangers. Crime can "happen anywhere, whether you're in Charlevoix, Saginaw, Bay City or anywhere else," he said, adding sometimes "you don't realize how important the police can be until situations like this."